The long-range goal of this competing continuation grant application is to increase the pool of doctorally prepared minority nurse scholar leaders. In 2003, the number of underrepresented nursing doctorates who were U.S. citizens was less than 10% of the total U.S. doctorally prepared nurses, of which 7.3% (n = 25) were African Americans, 2.3% (n = 8) Hispanics, and 0.3% (n = 1) American Indians (2004). Underrepresented minority doctoral students represented 14% of the total doctoral students in the U.S. (AACN, 2005). This is in contrast to a 25% underrepresented minority population in the total U.S. population. The 2004 U.S. Census that predicted that by 2050 the Hispanic population will nearly triple and the African American population will almost double supports persuasively the need for increasing minority nurse scholar leaders. Increased diversity will improve the overall health of the nation, as culturally sensitive health care will benefit the entire population (Sullivan Report, 2004). The overall purpose of the proposed program is to prepare master's students at partner schools for admission to the PhD program of the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Nursing (UIC CON) and to advance research in biomedical and/or behavioral nursing research. Specific aim (SA) #1: offer programs of teaching and research training at UIC CON; SA #2: provide academic counseling/professional socialization and mentoring; SA #3: increase faculty collaborative research activities between the two partner schools and UIC; and SA #4: offer leadership education and training in the curriculum. A total of four master's students from 2 partner schools will be recruited each year for admission to the UIC PhD program. UIC CON has excellent wet and dry laboratories and community resources, with 44 federally funded research and training grants ($8,902,628 direct cost), of which 32 are from NIH. Fourteen UIC faculty members have committed to be Bridges Faculty Sponsors and collaborators for this Bridges program. Campus housing and study space for students will be provided. Financial support will be provided for the full-time Bridges students for their doctoral study for 3 years by traineeships, scholarships, or research assistantships with stipends. UIC faculty will sponsor predoctoral fellowship applications to NIH as soon as the students are ready. An increased number of minority students in the UIC PhD nursing program will enrich the learning environment that promotes the full range of intellectual discovery, and their research will help minimize health disparities among minority populations. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]